Human health depends to a large extent on three elements: spiritual harmony, physical activity and adequate nutrition. It has been observed over the last few decades that the stress of modern life, reduced physical activity and consumption of processed foods and chemicals preservatives, including over & unwanted use of modern drugs, are responsible for the decrease in the resistance to disease. Currently A “big-bang” is impacting the health food and pharmaceutical industries among others. This nutraceutical (nutrition plus pharmaceutical) explosion is derives from research publications providing scientific evidence to support hypothesis that phytochemicals in food and in isolated from provide health benefits to the consumer.
The vital aspect of nutraceutical is dietary disease preventive food component. Food industries have rather high demand for the products that meet the consumer's demand for a healthy life style. In this context functional food fortified with the plant ingredients plays an important role. These foods are not intended only to satisfy hunger and provide humans with necessary nutrients but also to prevent mal-nutrition related diseases and increases physical and mental well being of consumers.
The herbal revolution and its implementation to daily nutrient intake or function-fortified food/dietary supplements with desired therapeutic efficacy led the world populations' great interest in the same. This ultimately led to researchers to develop them in functional food and nutraceuticals and finally to develop marketable products. Functional foods are substances that provide health benefits beyond the normal nutritional values and nutrients added, which are not naturally occurring in that food are called as functional fortified food.
The plants are the major source among the Indian masses, since most important foods of mankind as these are not only nutritive but are also sometimes indispensable for the maintenance of health. There are some herbal food supplements available in the developed nations and a few in the developing ones.